Grass Courts - The Championships, Wimbledon 2017 - Official Site by IBM - 54 million grass plants on Centre Court (rough calculation according to a formula) - 77 total hours played on Centre Court The grass The grass plant itself has to survive in this dry soil. Expert research has again shown that a cut height of 8mm (since 1995) is the optimum for present day play and survival. Courts are sown with 100 per cent Perennial Ryegrass (since 2001) to improve durability and strengthen the sward to withstand better the increasing wear of the modern game. Independent expert research from The Sports Turf Research Institute in Yorkshire, UK, proved that changing the grass seed mix to 100 per cent perennial ryegrass (previously 70 per cent rye/30 per cent creeping red fescue) would be the best way forward to combat wear and enhance court presentation and performance without affecting the perceived speed of the court. Perceived speed of a court is affected by a number of factors such as the general compacting of the soil over time, as well as the weather before and during the event.

The ball will seem heavier and slower on a cold damp day and conversely lighter and faster on a warm dry day. The amount a ball bounces is largely determined by the soil, not the grass. The soil must be hard and dry to allow 13 days of play without damage to the court sub-surface. To achieve the required surface of even consistency and hardness, the courts are rolled and covered to keep them dry and firm. Regular measurements are taken to monitor this. There have been no changes to the specification of the ball since 1995, when there was a very minimal alteration in compression. Lines and dimensions Total area of grass on each of Centre and No.1 Courts is 41m x 22m. Singles Court is length 23.77m (78’) x width 8.23m (27’). Doubles Court is length 23.77m (78’) x width 10.97m (36’). Paint is not used to mark the lines on the court. A transfer wheel marker is used to apply a white compound (500 gallons used yearly) containing titanium dioxide to make it durable.

How Many Courts Are There at Wimbledon? How Many Courts Are There at Wimbledon? August 12, 2014 8:23 am From its early beginnings as a local tennis and croquet club in 1868 to today, the All England Club has grown substantially over the past century and a half to host one of the tennis world’s most prestigious events. Everyone knows the iconic Centre Court and its retractable roof, but even many of the biggest tennis fans know little about Wimbledon’s other courts. In this post, we take a closer look at the numerous other courts that make Wimbledon so special. The all-star court of Wimbledon Switch on the TV to watch Wimbledon (or get into your seat, if you’re lucky enough to watch it in person) and you’ll probably see the All England Club’s world famous Centre Court. Known for its premier box used by the Royal Family, the Centre Court is the main court at Wimbledon. Recent additions to the Centre Court include the retractable roof, which was installed in 2009 to prevent rain from stopping play. With a seating capacity of 15,000 people, the Centre Court is Wimbledon’s biggest tennis court.

It’s also undoubtedly the most prestigious, with a 90-year history of incredible games and world-class players. The No.1, No. 2 and No. 3 Courts Although the Centre Court might dominate coverage of Wimbledon, many of the tournament’s games are played on the No.1, No. 2 and No. 3 courts. Each of these courts houses thousands of spectators during the early rounds of Wimbledon. Situated to the north of the Centre Court, the No. 1 court seats up to 11,430 and is regarded as a player favourite. The current court, which was constructed in 1997, replaced the original No. 1 court, which was built in 1928 and seated 7,328. The No. 2 court of today replaced the No. 13 court. Prior to being rebuild on a new site in 2009, the No. 2 court was known as the “Graveyard of Champions”, as many legendary champions – from Andre Agassi to Serena Williams – faced defeat there. The smallest of Wimbledon’s main courts is the No. 3 court, which seats 2,000 and hosts numerous games during the early stages of the tournament.

Today, the No. 3 court is located on the site of the old infamous “Graveyard of Champions” court. Wimbledon’s other Championships courts Wimbledon attracts hundreds of players, making it necessary to have far more than just the four main courts. Currently, the All England Club is home to 19 grass courts used in The Championships for both qualifying and championship matches. As well as 19 Championships grass courts, the All England Club is home to 22 grass practice courts, all of which are located within Aorangi Park. The Club also has eight American clay courts, five indoor courts and two acrylic courts. While the big names in international tennis are typically found on the main courts, there’s still plenty of action going on outside. During this year’s events, Wimbledon released a time-lapse video showcasing a day of tennis on the outside courts. The details of Wimbledon’s famous grass courts Although Wimbledon may only last for two weeks, preparing for event is an all-year process. Wimbledon’s dedicated ground staff work year round to make sure that all of The Club’s courts are in excellent shape for the tournament every year. 16 dedicated ground staff tend to the courts and other facilities throughout the year to keep the All England Club at its best.

During The Championships, the ground staff swells to 28 to care for the courts and facilities while matches are taking place. Wimbledon’s ground staff take their job very seriously. Neil Stubley, The Club’s head groundsman, describes Wimbledon as an “anxious time” as the entire world looks at the event’s iconic grass courts. Beyond the green grass, what are Wimbledon’s courts made of? Every year, each of the courts is trimmed to a strict playing height of eight millimetres. When the courts aren’t in use, the height of the grass is extended to a slightly more relaxed 13mm. While Wimbledon’s iconic courts may be covered in grass, they’re backed up with a clay base. Head groundsman Neil Stubley believes the great ball bounce of the grass courts is caused by the dry clay base and firm, compacted court surface. Which Wimbledon court would you like to play on? From the iconic Centre Court to the infamous “Graveyard of Champions”, every one of Wimbledon’s famous grass courts has its own history and character. To sample the action for yourself, visit our Wimbledon tickets page. How Many Courts Does Wimbledon Have? How Many Courts Does Wimbledon Have?

in Gardening & Horticulture on July 07, 2015 . 0 Comments. There are few things quite as quintessential to the typical English summer as Wimbledon . Indeed, the idea that there might be a tennis tournament held outdoors in England may come as a surprise to some foreign readers, convinced as that Britain is an island perpetually lashed by wind and rain. They’d be wrong though, despite popular stereotypes of the Englishman with his bowler hat and umbrella, the country does enjoy a summer as evidenced by the yearly tournament held at Wimbledon. Given its prestige, with its long history and the prominence of some of the players visiting for the tournament, it’s no surprise that care of the facilities is of immense importance. Pride of place are the championship courts upon which the tournament is played. In total, Wimbledon has: 19 Grass Champion Courts. 8 American clay courts 5 indoor courts Maintaining all this requires a full time staff of 16, which increases to 28 during tournament season. The Turf of Champions A huge amount of work goes into making a grass court worthy of the greatest champions. It takes 15 months from initial construction before a court is ready for the championships.

Because Tennis is an outdoor sport, the growing season of the grass has to be taken into account and the plant has to be given time to root itself firmly into the soil prior to being played upon. The grass used in the modern Wimbledon grass courts is Perennial Ryegrass, a plant chosen for its durability and presentation. After all, the tournament does enjoy Royal patronage and therefore it is essential that it always looks its best . The grass is kept to an ideal height of 8mm during play which is determined to be the optimum balance between survivability for the grass and maintaining the quality of play. The needs of the game weigh heavily on what is expected of the grass. During the playing season, the grass is mowed every other day, and during the championships, every single day. Preparation of the courts may include running a one-tonne roller over the entire playing field every day to ensure it is level during champion season. Another factor that has to be born in mind by the groundskeepers is the effect water has on the grass and the soil underneath it. Wet, water soaked soil slows down the game, making the ball seem heavier.

Dry soil is thus preferred, and this requires a careful balancing act of ensuring that the grass gets enough water to survive but not so much that the turf becomes sodden and game impacting. While it takes an incredible amount of work to maintain those courts to the impeccable standards demanded of the modern tournament, Wimbledon remains a foremost example for those working in grounds maintenance who want to know what the very best sort of grass court should look like. Wimbledon in numbers | Radio Times Twitter Wimbledon in numbers Tournament stats galore, from the longest match to the volume of Pimm’s, the fastest ever serve to the length of a blade of court grass... Comments 7:14 AM, 24 June 2013 8... regulation height in millimetres of a blade of grass on each Wimbledon tennis court 10... maximum time in minutes it takes the retractable roof on Centre Court to close. In contrast, a team of 16 people can cover the rain-threatened playing surface with a high-tech tarpaulin in approximately 30 seconds 16... height in metres from the surface of Centre Court to the roof 40...

miles of string used by the Championships dedicated team to prepare an average of more than 2,000 rackets. See also 40 square metres – the size of the giant outdoor screen on the Aorangi Park picnic terrace (aka Henman Hill, aka Murray Mound) 148... speed, in miles per hour, of the fastest ever serve at Wimbledon, as struck by Taylor Dent of the USA in 2010. Fellow American Venus Williams has the women’s record of 129mph, set in 2008 212... the record number of aces served during a tournament by a single player – Croatia’s Goran Ivanisevic in 2001. The ladies’ record is 57, jointly held by Americans Alexandra Stevenson, set in 1999, and Serena Williams, equalled in 2008 250... ball boys and girls make the grade, after coming through a rigorous training routine 350... umpires are in the chairs, and on the lines, during the tournament 660... matches are played during the Wimbledon fortnight 665...

the duration in minutes of the longest match in Wimbledon history. John Isner of the US finally beat Nicolas Mahut of France after a total of 11 hours and 5 minutes on court in their first-round match in 2010. Isner won the tie-break 70 points to 68 in a final set that lasted 8hrs 11mins, and used 123 balls 757... players including qualifying 15,000... seats on Centre Court 25,000... Championships' towels sold in the Wimbledon shop during the fortnight last year. Along with that best-selling item, fans also purchased 15,000 mini tennis ball keyrings, 7,000 cans of four tennis balls, 14,000 rubber wristbands and 10,000 umbrellas 28,000... kilograms of strawberries consumed each year, along with 7,000 litres of cream.

Spectators are usually treated to Grade I Kent strawberries (no less than ten per punnet), which are picked the day before, delivered at 5:30am and inspected before being served 54,250... tennis balls used during Wimbledon. New balls are requested after the first seven games of each match, plus the warm-up period, then every nine games after that. New balls are stored at precisely 68 degrees centigrade 200,000... glasses of Pimm’s drunk during the fortnight. But the traditional drink of Wimbledon gets a run for its money from some other British beverages. Spectators knock back a total of 300,000 cups of tea and coffee and 100,000 pints of draught beer and lager. Those feeling particularly flush (perhaps celebrating a British victory?) consumed 25,000 bottles of champagne 511,043... highest total number of spectators to attend the Championships, set in 2009 and very slightly less than the maximum possible given the daily capacity of 40,000 people 290,000,000...

the number of tennis balls that could fit in the Centre Court when the roof is closed 378,800,000... the number of TV viewers expected to tune into Wimbledon around the world, in 182 countries Like this? Share it. Facts and Figures / FAQ - The Championships, Wimbledon 2017 - Official Site by IBM Facts and Figures / FAQ Facts and Figures about The Championships. READ MORE Facts and Figures on frequently asked topics about The Championships. Men: 212 - Goran Ivanisevic (CRO) 2001 Ladies: 80 - Serena Williams (USA) 2015 Men: 165 - Ivo Karlovic (from four matches). Ladies: 80 - Serena Williams (from seven matches). Total attendance was 493,928 (for 14 days, includes Middle Sunday of 24,623) (484,391 in 2015) Ball Boys and Ball Girls Around 250 from around 750 entries come through a rigorous training routine. Balls 54,250 used during The Championships period.

Stored at 68 deg F. New balls after first seven games (to allow for warm-up), then after every 9 games. Subject to availability after use balls sold daily to LTA-affiliated clubs and to spectators in the grounds. £2.50 per can of three. Proceeds go to LTA's Wimbledon Balls for Schools Scheme. Yellow balls used for first time in 1986. At start of day 48 tins taken onto Centre and No.1 Courts and 24 on all outside courts. BBC is the host broadcaster. Agreement extended in 2011 to 2017 inc. Global news access audience estimated at over 1bn people in 200 territories. Broadcast figures 2016 (early headline audience figures) UK (BBC): The Gentlemen’s Singles Final peaked at 13.3 million with a 69% peak share. The Ladies’ Singles Final audience peak was 4.8m. On the website there were 10.2 million unique browsers and 1.9 million requests for the Wimbledon live stream.

The Mixed Doubles Final featuring Heather Watson peaked at 2.8m and the Gentlemen’s Wheelchair Singles Final on BBC2 with Gordon Reid at peaked 1.1m US (ESPN): Most-watched Wimbledon to-date on WatchESPN – up 35% vs.

2015 TSN (Canada): The Gentlemen’s Singles Final featuring Milos Raonic became the most watched tennis match in Canada peaking at 2.4 million Unique devices – 20.9m (21.1m in 2015) Visits – 69.4m (72.0 in 2015) Page views – 395m (542m in 2015) mobile .com uniques: 5.6m (2.1m in 2014) +125% mobile .com visits: 9.6m (8.4m in 2015) +98% mobile .com page views: 88.3m (73.7m in 2015) App downloads: 1.5m .com to apps uniques split: 93% to 7% .com to apps page views split: 51% to 49% Social media audience: 10.5m (8.5m in 2015) Video views: 106m (85m in 2

015) Live @ Wimbledon TV: 1.5m (Global excl Spain, Austria, Italy, Germany) (1.6m in 2015) Bespoke social media feeds in Chinese (Sina Weibo and WeChat – 65k followers), WeChat prediction game (55k users) and geo-targeted content posted in Japanese on Facebook and Line.

Platform-specific social media activations: Facebook frame and Wimbledon experience, Facebook 360s, #Wimbledon emojis, Beat a Legend vine activation, #TheHill v #TheWorld v #TheQueue, Wimbleskills Euros challenge, Giphy channel, Live @ Wimbledon on YouTube, Pinterest Wimbledon food, Custom Snapchat filters and strawberry lens, Snapchat Wimbledon Live Stories, YouTube 3D of the finals. 39,000 spectators in the grounds at any one time. Catering 2016 Wimbledon is the largest single annual sporting catering operation (1800 staff) carried out in Europe. Average quantities supplied by Championships' caterers FMC. 177,135 glasses of Pimm's 2772 kilos of bananas (for players) Champions' Dinner Instigated in 1977 when the LTA Ball previously held on the final evening of The Championships was moved to the middle Saturday. The tradition of dancing between the two Singles Champions ceased then, but was brought back by Novak Djokovic and Serena Williams in 2015. In 2015, held at the Guildhall, in the City of London.

Clothing - players Predominately in white rule introduced in 1963. 'Almost entirely in white rule' introduced in 1995. Clothing submitted to Club for comment earlier in year. Both Grand Slam and WTA rules stipulate recognised tennis attire. Decision on the day as to whether clothing/players' turnout is suitable at discretion of Referee. Guidelines: No solid mass of colouring Little or no dark or bold colours No fluorescent colours Preference for back of shirt to be totally white Preference for shorts and skirts to be totally white All other items of clothing including hats, socks and shoes to be almost entirely white. Centre Court 14,979 seats. Finals matches scheduled to be played on Centre Court: Saturday 9 July 2016: Ladies' Singles, Gentlemen's Doubles, Mixed Doubles Sunday 10 July 2016: Gentlemen's Singles, Ladies' Doubles.

Centre Court Roof stats 8 Litres per second of fresh air per person pumped into the bowl to manage the environment 9 Chiller units required to cool the air 10 Minutes (maximum) that the roof takes to close 10 Trusses holding up the roof 16 Metres - height of the roof above the court surface 30 Minutes – maximum time expected before play can start/continue after the roof is closed and the internal environment is controlled and stabilised 43 Miles per hour - wind speed up to which the roof can be deployed/retracted 70 Tonnes - weight of each of the 10 trusses without extra parts 77 Metres - the span of the moving roof trusses (width of football pitch = 68m) 100 Tonnes - weight of each of the 10 trusses with all extras – eg motors, locking arms 100 Percent of the roof's fabric which is recyclable 214 MM per second - maximum speed of truss deployment 1,200 Extra seats installed in 2008 3,000 Tonnes - combined weight (both fixed and moving) of the roof 5,200 Square

 metres, area of retractable roof when fully deployed 7,500 Wimbledon umbrellas, needed to cover the same area as the retractable roof 15,000 Maximum spectator capacity 143,000 Litres per second – total amount of conditioned air that the air-management system supplies to the bowl 290million Tennis balls – number that could fit in the Centre Court with the roof closed Courts grass (gen) 2015 41 in total.

19 Championships grass courts (Centre + Nos 1-19, less 13) plus 22 grass practice courts in Aorangi Park and at Southlands College. Capacity of 11,393. Play scheduled to start at 1.00pm all days. Courts (dimensions) Centre Ct: Stadium – 110m long x 119m wide x 19m high. Area of grass - 41m x 22m. No.1 Court: Stadium - 121m long x 121 wide x `18 m high. Area of grass as Centre Ct. All lines are 50mm wide, except base lines which are 100mm. Court Covers Centre: New translucent cover in 1998. Weighs 1 ton (wet & dry) and takes 16 people approx 30 seconds to cover the court. Cover allows a greater amount of light to the grass. Air ventilation under the cover is aided by four large fans (two at each end). No.1: New translucent cover in 1999. Weight etc as Centre.

No.2 Court takes 8 coverers, all other courts have 6 coverers. 2016: Monday 27 June - Sunday 10 July 2017: Monday 3 July - Sunday 16 July At Club on Friday 24 June 2016, 10.00am Gentlemen's Singles: 128 places (inc 32 seeds, 16 qualifiers, 8 wild cards) Ladies' Singles: 128 (inc 32 seeds, 12 qualifiers, 8 wild cards) Gentlemen's, Ladies' Doubles - 64 pairs, Mixed Doubles – 48 pairs Men: Milos Raonic - 147 mph. Ladies: Serena Williams - 124 mph. Men: 148mph - Taylor Dent – 2010 Women: 129mph - Venus Williams - 2008 Over 50,000 plants supplied each year. Ivy on Centre Court is Boston Ivy, Parthenocissus Tricuspidaca Veitchii. Grass Championships playing height 8mm.

Court grass composed of 100% rye grass (changed from 70% rye/30% red fescue in Sept 2000 for better wear and tear properties). Church Road site: 13.5 acres. Plus car parks: 42 acres Hawk Rufus, a Harris Hawk, trained by Wayne and Imogen Davis of Avian Control. Visits the Club most weeks in the year to provide a deterrent to local pigeons by making aware of a predator in the grounds to persuade them to roost elsewhere. Flies for one hour (9.00am) most mornings of The Championships before the gates open. Hawk-Eye Electronic line calling system introduced on Centre and No.1 Cts in 2006. In 2015 covers Centre Court, No.1 Ct, No.2 Ct, No.3 Ct, Court 12, Court 18. Hawk-Eye – Challenges (singles only) 2015 Men made 551 Challenges and 146 were correct, a 26.5% success rate.

Ladies made 307 Challenges of which 83 were correct, a 27.04% success rate. The screen is 40 sq metres in size Live @ Wimbledon Enhanced video and radio digital broadcast service blending live tennis with the off-court colour allowing fans a greater interaction and engagement via . Video service live in the UK, the Americas, India, Australia, New Zealand, and available on Wimbledon.com and mobile applications. 7 hours live broadcasting day with pre-packaged content such as previews and reviews, match highlights and archive footage. For radio listeners, the Live @ Wimbledon radio service offers an enhanced and improved version of the popular Radio Wimbledon. Available worldwide online, and on 3 local FM channels, there are three radio channels for the user to choose from: Around the Grounds, bringing the whole event to life, Centre Court, which will feature ball-by-ball commentary from Centre Court, and No.1 Court, which will feature ball-by-ball commentary from No.1 Court.

2010, Court 18, played over 3 days John Isner (USA) bt Nicolas Mahut (FRA) 6-4, 3-6, 6-7 (7), 7-6 (3), 70-68 11 hours 05 minutes duration Final set lasted 491 minutes (8hrs11mins), 1hr 38mins longer than the previous longest match in tennis history 980 points played in total – Mahut won 502 and Isner 478 of them (Serena Williams won 789 points over seven rounds to win the Ladies' Singles) Isner served the most aces in a match – 113 123 balls used 3,250 media accredited (600 press, 2,450 broadcast personnel, 200 photographers and photographic support staff). Membership of Club Four categories: Full, Life, Honorary and Temporary. Full and Life Membership limited to 375 (the number of seats in the old Worple Road stand). All enjoy full privileges.

Hon members elected by the Committee and mostly past singles champions and other people who have given special service to the sport. Around 120 Temp members also elected by the Ctee. Renewed annually. To become a member must be proposed seconded and supported by 4 existing Full Members, all of whom are required to write in support of the application. Waiting list of about 1000 dating back many years. Singles Champions: £2m. Total: £28.1m. Mon 20 - Thurs 23 June 2016 Bank of England Sports Ground, Roehampton. The Queue and General Security The 2015 Queue does not start until 8:00am on Sunday 28 June. £5.00 fee (proceeds donated to charity) to be levied on storage of camping kit. Ground entry security procedures will be at an appropriately high level. On-day sales queue in Wimbledon Park leading to off-site search/scanning operation. All ticket holders searched on entry. Only one bag per ticket holder allowed. No larger than 16x12x12ins (40x30x30cm).

No hard-sided hampers, cool-boxes or brief cases allowed into the grounds. No Left Luggage facilities inside the grounds. Racket Stringing Championships stringing team string on average over 2,000 rackets comprising 60% for men, 40% for women. In total this adds up to over 40 miles of string. Roof (Centre Court) Completed in 2009. Main works commenced after 2006 Championships as part of wholesale improvements to the east side of Centre Court. No roof in 2007. New fixed roof in 2008, retractable part in 2009. Royal Box Contains 74 dark green Lloyd Loom wicker chairs. The Queen attended in 1957, 1962, 1977, 2010. To be announced on Wednesday 22 June 2016, around 10.00am. MEN The seeds are the top 32 players on the ATP Ranking list, BUT then rearranged on a surface-based system.

Since 2002 a seeding committee has not been required for the Gentlemen's Singles following an agreement made with the ATP. The seeding order is determined using an objective and transparent system to reflect more accurately an individual player's grass court achievements. The formula is: Take the ATP Ranking points at 20 June 2016. Add 100% points earned for all grass court tournament in past 12 months. Add 75% points earned for best grass court tournament in 12 months before that. LADIES The seeding order follows the WTA ranking list, except where in the opinion of the comittee, a change is necessary to produce a balanced draw. Umpires, Chair and Line: 375 Usually Grade I Kent strawberries of the highest quality Around 28,000 kg consumed during the Fortnight. Around 8615 punnets (2100 kg) containing minimum of 10 berries consumed daily, Served with over 7,000 litres of fresh cream. 142,000 portions of strawberries served in 2012.

To ensure utmost freshness, strawberries are picked the day before being served, arrive at Wimbledon at around 5.30a.m where inspected before being hulled.

Price of strawberries & cream for punnet of not less than 10 berries + cream:- 1993 - £1.70; 1994 - £1.70; 1995 - £1.75; 1996 - £1.80; 1997 - £1.85; 1998 - £1.85; 1999 - £1.75; 2000 - £1.80; 2001 - £1.85: 2002 - £1.95; 2003 - £2.00; 2004 - £2.00; 2005 – £2.00; 2006-£2.00; 2007-£2.00; 2008-£2.25; 2009- £2.25; 2010 - £2.50; 2011- £2.50: 2012-£2.

50, 2013-£2.50, 2014- £2.50.

Tickets (resales) Used/unwanted tickets recycled via collection from red boxes or bar code scan. Re-sold to people in the grounds. Priced £10 for Centre Court and No.1 Court, £5 for No.2 Court. Since 1954, money raised from returned tickets has been donated to charity. Total net income in 2015 was £159,311 HSBC match means the total funds available for charitable donation via the Wimbledon Foundation was £318,622 Grounds open at 10:30am. Start on Courts 2-19 scheduled for 11:30 daily Start on Centre and No.1 Court scheduled for 1.00pm daily except for the Men's and Ladies' Finals at 2.00pm. Close of play: Approx 9.00pm depending on weather, light and matches state. Men's Singles – Challenge Cup (since 1887). Ladies' Singles – Ladies' Singles Plate (since 1886) 350 on duty comprising mostly British plus 60 from overseas. British are members of Association of British Tennis Officials.

Weather Championships recorded as being without rain interruptions since 1922: 1931, 1976, 1977, 1993, 1995, 2009, 2010. Wild cards Announced w/c Monday 13 June 2016. Awarded at discretion of Championships Committee. Usually to British players nominated by LTA or special circumstances (eg Goran Ivanisevic in 2001 or a recent Champion whose ranking has fallen through injury). Eight available in both Men's & Ladies' Singles. Ranking the Best Grass-Court Players in Tennis History | Bleacher Report Ranking the Best Grass-Court Players in Tennis History By Jake Curtis , Featured Columnist Jun 15, 2013 Use your ← → (arrow) keys to browse the slideshow Clive Brunskill/Getty Images Roger Federer and Pete Sampras in 2001 Wimbledon 17.5K 19 Comments Before 1975, when three of the four Grand Slam events were played on grass, proficiency on grass courts was necessary to achieve tennis stardom. The U.S.

Pro Championships, a major event for professionals before the Open Era began in 1968, was also contested on grass sometimes. Today, Wimbledon is the only major tournament played on grass, with the few other grass-court tournaments serving primarily as Wimbledon tuneups. In ranking our top 10 grass-court players of all time, we considered how dominant the player was in the major grass-court tournaments of his or her era. We gave more weight to success in the Open Era because the depth of talent was much greater. Nonetheless, only one current player made our list, although a similar list compiled five or 10 years from now might include several of today's stars. We start with eight players who barely missed making our top 10. We then list the top 10 in descending order, although we hedged at the outset by having two players tie for the 10th spot. We noted three categories for each listed player: Why He or She Is Here, Wimbledon Highlights and Best Asset.

Eight Just Outside the Top 10 Tony Duffy/Getty Images John McEnroe Venus Williams : With five Wimbledon titles and three runner-up finishes, Williams would probably be next on our list, and a strong case could be made that she belongs in the top 10. Serena Williams : A few more productive years would push her into the top 10. With five Wimbledon titles, you could argue she should be there already. Ken Rosewall: Rosewall won six Grand Slam events on grass (the first at age 18, the last at age 37), despite being banned from those events as a professional for 11 of his prime years. Margaret Court: Court won 19 Grand Slam events on grass at a time when more such opportunities existed and when many top players avoided the Australian Open. Jimmy Connors: Connors won four majors on grass, including two Wimbledons. Boris Becker: Becker won three Wimbledon titles, including his first at age 17, and was runner-up four times.

John McEnroe: With a serve-and-volley game perfectly suited to grass, McEnroe won three Wimbledon titles and reached the finals two other times when the presence of Jimmy Connors and Bjorn Borg made that difficult. Roy Emerson: Emerson won 10 Grand Slam titles on grass, but all were before the Open Era, when pros were prevented from playing in those majors. 10. (tie) Bjorn Borg Getty Images/Getty Images Why He's Here: Borg was the first male since 1906 to win five straight Wimbledon titles. ( Roger Federer later matched that feat.) Borg did it when the men's game was filled with stars, as he beat the likes of Jimmy Connors, Ilie Nastase and John McEnroe in the finals. Borg was a Wimbledon finalist in 1981, shortly after his 25th birthday, seeking a sixth straight title. He lost to McEnroe and never played at Wimbledon again. Wimbledon Highlights: Borg won the 1975 title one month past his 20th birthday and did not lose a set in the process.

He won 41 consecutive matches at Wimbledon, the last being a 1981 semifinal victory over Jimmy Connors after Borg had dropped the first two sets. Borg's most memorable match was his 1-6, 7-5, 6-3, 6-7 (16-18), 8-6 victory over McEnroe in the 1980 finals. It featured a 22-minute fourth-set tiebreaker, and is rated the second-best match in tennis history by both an ESPN.com article and Business Insider. Best Asset: His ability and willingness to adapt his game to grass made him a star. Though his basic game as a baseliner did not seem suited to grass, Borg developed a big serve and a decent volley that enabled him to be competitive on grass. His best weapon was his forehand, and he was one the first to impart extreme topspin on the shot. 10. (tie) Billie Jean King Bob Martin/Getty Images Why She's Here: Billie Jean King won 11 Grand Slam titles on grass and was a runner-up six other times.

Although she had more opportunities to win majors on grass than today's players, she also faced stiff competition in her era, including Margaret Court, Evonne Goolagong and Chris Evert. She won Wimbledon six times and got to the finals three other times. Wimbledon Highlights: Her six Wimbledon titles are tied for the fourth most among women since 1915. She got to the semifinals of her final Wimbledon in 1983 when she was a few months shy of her 40th birthday. That was 19 years after she reached the Wimbledon semifinals for the first time. After claiming her final Wimbledon title in 1975, she did not compete in the Wimbledon singles event in 1976. She returned from singles "retirement" to play singles at Wimbledon six more times after that, however. Best Asset: An excellent serve-and-volley player, King possessed one of the finest backhand volleys in tennis history. 9. Suzanne Lenglen Getty Images/Getty Images Why She's Here: Suzanne Lenglen never lost a match on the court at Wimbledon.

She won six Wimbledon titles from 1919 to 1925 and did not lose more than four games in any of her last five Wimbledon finals. She had two official losses at Wimbledon, both by default. The first came in 1924, when she withdrew following her quarterfinal win because of jaundice, according to an item in the Milwaukee Sentinel. The other was a default in the third round in 1926 because she was late for the match, according to an excerpt from the book Myths and Milestones in the History of Sport. Wimbledon Highlights: Lenglen saved two match points against seven-time champion Dorthea Douglass Chambers to win her first Wimbledon title, 10-8, 4-6, 9-7. It was the first time Lenglen had played on grass, and she served overhand, like the men, instead of underhand, like Chambers, according to a CNN article. In the 1922 final, Lenglen beat Molla Mallory in 26 minutes, the shortest Grand Slam final in history, according to the South Florida Sun Sentinel.

Best Asset: Lenglen combined athleticism, grace and power into a game few women in the era could handle. "Her opponents were afraid of her because she was like a lion on the court, it was not usual for a woman to hit the ball so hard," said Patrick Clastres, a sports historian at Sorbonne University in Paris, in a CNN article. 8. Bill Tilden Photo by Brown Brothers Why He's Here: Bill Tilden won 10 Grand Slam events on grass, including three at Wimbledon and seven at the U.S. Championships. He played at Wimbledon only twice before the age of 34 and won both times. He also won the U.S. Pro Championships on grass in 1931, beating talented grass-court player Vinny Richards in straight sets in the finals when Tilden was 38. Wimbledon Highlights: Tilden's final Wimbledon match also garnered him his final Wimbledon title in 1930 at the age of 37. He lost only two sets in that tournament, both to Jean Borotra in the semifinals.

Tilden lost the first set to Borotra at love, but, according to an excerpt from the book Big Bill Tilden: The Triumphs and the Tragedy, Tilden used lobs in the first set to tire Borotra out. Tilden eventually won, 0-6, 6-4, 4-6, 6-0, 7-5. Best Asset: Tilden had virtually every shot available to him, but he was best known for his cannonball serve and outstanding forehand. Jack Kramer recalled facing Tilden when Tilden was in his late 40s. “He had a tremendous forehand, even then, and an awfully good serve,” Kramer told the New York Times. “He could do anything he wanted with the ball. He could put it any place he liked.” Next » 7. Maureen Connolly Why She's Here: Maureen Connolly entered nine Grand Slam tournaments played on grass. She won seven of them. After losing in the second round of the U.S, Championships in 1950 at age 15, Connolly never lost another grass-court match in a major, winning seven straight grass-court Grand Slam events.

She won her first Grand Slam event on grass at the U.S. Championships in 1951 at the age of 16 and won her final one at Wimbledon in 1954. Two weeks after winning the latter, she suffered a horseback-riding accident that crushed her leg and ended her tennis career at age 19, according to her New York Times obituary. She died at the age of 34. Wimbledon Highlights: Connolly never lost a match at Wimbledon, going 18-0 the three times she participated. In her final Wimbledon tournament, in 1954, Connolly did not lose a set and lost just 17 games. Only one player got more than five games in a match against her that year. The previous year, she had lost just 19 games and did not lose a set while winning the title. Best Asset: Though she was a natural left-hander who played tennis right-handed, Connolly's forehand was rated as the second-best forehand in women's tennis history by World Tennis. 6.

Helen Wills Moody Getty Images/Getty Images Why She's Here: Helen Wills Moody won 15 Grand Slam singles events played on grass, including eight Wimbledon titles and seven U.S. Championships. From 1927 until 1938, when she played her final Grand Slam event at Wimbledon, Moody did not lose a single completed match in a Grand Slam event played on grass. Moody's only official loss in the 13 grass-court majors she played in that span came in the final of the 1933 U.S. Championship when she retired in the third set against Helen Hull Jacobs. The back injury that caused her to retire from that match sidelined her for all of 1934. Moody also won the 1924 Olympic gold medal in a tournament played on grass. Wimbledon Highlights: Starting in 1927, Moody won her final 50 matches she played at Wimbledon, covering eight tournaments. She lost only four sets while winning those eight titles, and she did not lose any sets in a four-tournament span from 1928 to 1932. (She did not play Wimbledon in 1931).

Her eight Wimbledon singles titles rank second all-time to Martina Navratilova's nine. Best Asset: Moody had a complete game, but was best known for her ferocity and lack of expressed emotion on the court, earning her the nickname "Little Miss Poker Face." 5. Rod Laver Getty Images/Getty Images Why He's Here: Rod Laver is the only player to win all four majors in the same year twice. And both times, three of the four Grand Slam events were played on grass. Laver won nine Grand Slam titles on grass despite being robbed of five years of Grand Slam opportunities during his prime because he was a professional before the Open Era. Laver also won the U.S. Pro Championship four times on grass between 1964 and 1968. Wimbledon Highlights: Laver participated in Wimbledon four times between 1961 and 1969, and he won the tournament all four of those times. (As a professional, he was ineligible to compete from 1963 through 1967.) Laver dropped a total of one set in the finals of the four Wimbledon tournaments he won.

His 1962 and 1969 Wimbledon victories were part of his Grand Slams those years. Best Asset: Laver had a well-rounded game, but his strengths were his speed and toughness in the clutch. "Laver's greatest asset," C. M. Jones, editor of Lawn Tennis Magazine, said in a Sports Illustrated article, "is his very, very rapid speed of reaction and movement and his excellent personal attitude toward tennis. When he is in a tough spot, Laver doesn't in any way retreat. He gets bolder and bolder and uses his wide range of shots without fear. He has sheer bravery and a beautiful sense of play." 4. Pete Sampras Gary M. Prior/Getty Images Why He's Here: Pete Sampras won seven men's singles Wimbledon titles, tied for the most in history. He never lost in a Wimbledon finals and was pushed to a fifth set in only one of them. Sampras had a 57-1 record at Wimbledon in a nine-year span from 1993 until his loss to Roger Federer in 2001.

The Tennis Channel ranked him as the third-best male player in history in large part because of his success on the grass at Wimbledon, where he captured half of his 14 Grand Slam titles. Wimbledon Highlights: Sampras won his first Wimbledon title in 1993 at age 21, three years after he won his first Grand Slam title at the U.S. Open. Between 1992, when he lost to Goran Ivanisevic in the semifinals, and 2001, when he lost to Federer in the fourth round, Sampras' only loss at Wimbledon was against Richard Krajicek in the 1996 quarterfinals. Sampras lost only one set while winning Wimbledon in 1994 and dropped just two sets in 1999. Best Asset: Sampras' serve was rated the best in tennis history by Geoff MacDonald of the New York Times. Steve Flink, in his book The Greatest Tennis Matches of All Time, rated Sampras' first serve as the best first serve in history and ranked his second serve as the best second serve of all time, according to a World Tennis article. 3.

Steffi Graf Paul Gilham/Getty Images Why He's Here: Steffi Graf won Wimbledon seven times. Only Martina Navratilova has won more Wimbledon women's singles titles since World War II. Graf had fewer chances than many of her predecessors to win Grand Slam titles on grass, and she did so in era that featured outstanding competition, including Navratilova, Evert and Monica Seles. Wimbledon Highlights: Graf won her seven Wimbledon titles in a span of nine years. Three times she beat Navratilova at that event, including the finals in 1988. Navratilova had won six straight Wimbledon titles and led Graf 7-5, 2-0 in that 1988 final. Graf then won 12 of the next 13 games to claim her first Wimbledon title on her way to winning the Grand Slam of tennis that year. Best Asset: World Tennis ranked Graf's forehand as the best forehand in women's tennis history. Tennis writer and historian Bud Collins nicknamed her Fraulein Forehand. 2.

Roger Federer Paul Gilham/Getty Images Why He's Here: Roger Federer has won seven Wimbledon titles, tied for the most in history among the men, and he did it over a 10-year span. Between 2004 and 2008, he won Wimbledon five straight times, matching Bjorn Borg's Open Era record, and won 40 consecutive matches. He has reached the Wimbledon finals eight times and won seven of them. Currently ranked No. 3 in the world, Federer remains a contender for future Wimbledon titles. Wimbledon Highlights: At age 19, Federer ended Pete Sampras' run of four straight Wimbledon championships and seven in eight years by beating Sampras in five sets in the fourth round in 2001. Federer's five-set loss to Rafael Nadal in their 2008 Wimbledon final is "widely believed to be the greatest tennis match ever played," tennis historian Steve Flink was quoted as saying in an SI.com article. . After failing to get past the quarterfinals in 2010 and 2011, Federer won his seventh Wimbledon title in 2012 at the age of 30.

Best Asset: Federer's greatest strength is that he has no glaring weakness. An all-court player, Federer can volley proficiently and can serve-and-volley with success when needed. 1. Martina Navratilova Steve Powell/Getty Images Why She's Here: Martina Navratilova won nine Wimbledon singles titles, the most in history by either a man or woman. No one else in the Open Era has won more than seven. The competition Navratilova faced in her era included Chris Evert and Steffi Graf, both of whom are ranked among the top four female players of all time by the Tennis Channel. In 2002, in her first tour singles match in eight years, the 45-year-old Navratilova won a first-round match on the grass in Eastbourne, England. Wimbledon Highlights: Navratilova got to the Wimbledon finals nine years in a row. She won six consecutive Wimbledon championships from 1982 through 1987 and had a 47-match winning streak at the event from 1982 until 1988.

She won her first Wimbledon title at age 21 in 1978, beating Evert in the finals. She got to the finals for the last time in 1994 at age 37, losing in three sets to Conchita Martinez. Best Asset: Navratilova had an excellent serve and was one of the best volleyers in women's tennis history. It combined to give her a serve-and-volley game few could handle. Wimbledon History - History & Origin Of Wimbledon Championship Tennis » Wimbledon » Wimbledon History Wimbledon History Wimbledon championship, simply called Wimbledon, is the oldest and the most prestigious tennis tournament in the world. The name of the tournament is derived from Wimbledon, a suburb of London, where it has been held since 1877. The All England Club is the chosen venue for the tournament. Out of the four Grand Slam tennis tournaments, Wimbledon is the only one played on grass courts, the others being played on grass, hard as well as clay courts. Wimbledon is held for a period of two weeks, starting from late June until early July. Wimbledon championship is preceded by Australian Open (played on hard court) and French Open (played on clay court). U.S.

Open tournament are held after Wimbledon. Go through the following lines to get interesting information on the origin and history of Wimbledon. History & Origin Of Wimbledon All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club A private club named All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club came into existence in 1868, with its ground located off Worple Road, Wimbledon. Lawn tennis was invented by Major Walter Clopton Wingfield in 1873. The game of lawn tennis was introduced as one of the activities of the Club in 1875. The Club was rechristened as The All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club in 1877. Soon after the Club's name was changed, the Lawn Tennis Championship was started. Consequently, a new code of laws was formulated especially for the event. In 1877, Gentlemen's Singles title - the only tennis event held in the year - was bagged by Spencer Gore. The event was witnessed by about 200 spectators, who paid one shilling each to watch the final match.

Various sporting activities were performed at The All England Croquet and Lawn Tennis Club until 1882, when it was decided that lawn tennis would be the only activity of the Club, thereafter. Consequently, the word 'croquet' was removed from the name of the Club. However, with the intention of not hurting the sentiments of the people associated with the Club, the word 'croquet' was restored to the name of the club in 1899, this time, with a slight change in the phrasing - the Club now came to be called The All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. Entrance Of Women In The Game Women's Singles tennis events were started in 1884. Initially, 13 players entered the tournament. The first win of the tournament was registered by Maud Watson. In the same year, the Gentlemen's Doubles event was also started. Oxford University Lawn Tennis Club sponsored the trophy for the tournament. With the passing time, Wimbledon championship gained immense popularity. The facility for the spectators was improvised. The temporary accommodation for the players was replaced by permanent stands. More and more people started flocking the grounds by the mid 1880s.

The maximum crowd was seen during the matches played by British twins Ernest and William Renshaw, who emerged as outstanding players. They won 13 titles (separately as well as doubles partners) between 1881 and 1889. The era was dubbed as 'Renshaw Rush'. However, the public affection for Wimbledon waned with the advent of the 1890s. The popularity picked up pace in 1897, when the legendary Doherty brothers, Laurie and Reggie, entered the championships. In following decade, the championship was simply ruled by them. Winners From Overseas With the advent of the 20th century, players from outside England started winning titles, one of the first wins being registered by May Sutton of the United States in 1905. With the win, she became the first Wimbledon Champion from overseas. Sutton registered another success in 1907. In the same year, Norman Brookes of Australia created history by becoming the first Gentlemen's Singles title winner from overseas.

The year saw only two players of British origin - Arthur Gore and Fred Perry - to have won the Men's Singles, while five British women - Kitty McKane Godfree, Dorothy Round, Angela Mortimer, Ann Jones and Virginia Wade - managed to grab the Ladies' Wimbledon Champions. Relocation The facilities of ground at Worple Road were improvised prior to the First World War, to meet the increasing needs of the spectators. Larger premises were planned, as to ensure maximum footfall of spectators. The tennis ground was relocated in 1922, to the present location in Church Road. The stadium was built to accommodated as many as 14000 spectators, which helped in the popularization of the game. The expenses for the ground were handled partly by the reserves of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club and partly by the issue of Debentures. Increase In Popularity During the 1920s, the French tennis players set a record, by winning at least one Wimbledon Single's Championship. Players from countries including US also emerged as winners. Some of the prominent names in the championship, during the time, were Jean Borota, Jacques Brugnon, Rene Lacoste, Kitty McKane and Helen Wills.

Wimbledon continued to thrive in the 1930s, with more and more players emerging as outstanding winners. Bill Tilden (American tennis player) made a comeback at the age of 38 and grabbed his third crown in 1931. In the following year, the number of spectators increased to 200,000. The period from 1934 to 1937 was ruled by British tennis players, while tennis players of US origin managed to register consecutive wins just before the Second World War. Wimbledon During World War II Although the Club had limited staff during the Second World War, it managed to remain open and carry out its activities. The premises of the club were used to conduct a variety of civil defense and military functions, including fire and ambulance services. In addition to this, a decontamination unit was also set up in the premises of the Club. The main concourse was used by the troops, who camped within the vicinity of the Club. A small farmyard was also established around the ground. The Center Court became a storehouse for five 500lb bombs, which resulted in the loss of as many as 1200 seats.

Therefore, it can be said that Wimbledon faced a downfall during wartime. Post World War II Things were brought back to normality post World War II. In 1945, between June and July, a series of Wimbledon matches were organized between Allied service members, on the No. 1 Court, which was left unscathed by the enemy action. In August, the final stages of the US European Championships were played. The war damage were cleared and repairs were carried out, to resume the game. Consequently, the ground was brought back to its previous form, a situation that was hard to achieve until 1949. In the 1950s, US tennis players continued to dominate Wimbledon. Some of the outstanding players were Jack Kramer, Ted Schroeder, Tony Trabert, Louise Brough and Maureen Connolly. The wind changed its direction, when Aussie players registered wins in 1956. From 1956 to 1970, the Gentlemen's Singles titles were won by Australian tennis players - Lew Hoad, Neale Fraser, Rod Laver, Roy Emerson and John Newcombe.

On the other hand, the stranglehold of US players on Ladies's Singles was broken by Maria Bueno of Brazil, in 1959. In the 1950s, more and more overseas players were competing at Wimbledon and other tennis tournaments held in different parts of the world. Consequently, in 1959, Herman David put forward the proposal that the Wimbledon Championships be made open to all the players. This proposal was rejected by the International Tennis Federation (ITF) and arguments persisted in the following years, at all the levels of the game. After persuasion, in 1964, the Lawn Tennis Association (LTA) declared the Wimbledon Championships to be open to all tennis players. Present Day Wimbledon has emerged as one of the premier tennis tournaments, with worldwide recognition. The All England Lawn Tennis Club, which has been hosting the tournament since the inception of the same, continues to maintain its leadership in the 21st century as well. With the passing time, the quality of the event has been improved. Seating capacity for the spectators has also been improved. Wimbledon has evolved as one of the most prestigious titles. Important Dates Wimbledon championship celebrated its centenary in 1977.

The roof of the Center Court was increased by a height of one meter, in 1979, thereby providing room for another 1088 seats. The centenary of the Ladies' Singles championship was held in 1984. The year 1986 is one of the significant years in the history of Wimbledon, because its 100th championship was celebrated with great fanfare. The 100th Ladies' Championship was commemorated in 1993.

Question: What is the total number of grass courts at Wimbledon?
Answer: 19